What to eat during confinement

Some women want to regain their figure as quickly as possible after giving birth, so they only eat foods that will not make them gain weight. This is a very wrong approach. Women must take good care of their bodies after giving birth and not be too anxious to lose weight, because women's bodies are very weak after giving birth. What kind of staple food is more beneficial for postpartum women? The following will tell you in detail the dietary methods for each stage of the confinement period.

1. The day of delivery

Remove lochia and dispel wind and cold

After giving birth, the mother is at her weakest and will also be affected by anesthesia. The dietary recommendation at this time is to eat more light and warm food. Mothers who give birth naturally can drink milk, plain water, etc. Do not drink too much soup to avoid blockage caused by excessive milk secretion. Mothers who have given birth by cesarean section need to fast and wait until the gas is discharged before eating liquid or semi-liquid food. Milk and other gas-producing foods must not be eaten. It is important to note that whether women give birth naturally or by caesarean section, they must pay attention to removing lochia and dispelling wind and cold. Failure to remove lochia may lead to various uterine diseases.

2. Days 2-7 after delivery (first week)

Mainly protein intake

Within one week after delivery, the mother can eat some light soups such as egg drop soup, fish soup, vegetable soup, etc., and ensure 4-5 meals a day to replenish the body with sufficient nutrition. Try to use less oil and salt in the diet, increase the intake of high-quality protein and a variety of nutrients to meet the needs of breastfeeding. After giving birth, due to excessive physical consumption, the body's resistance decreases and it is easy to be infected by wind and cold. During this period, the focus should be on clearing the exterior, calming the mind and harmonizing the middle, warming the middle and dispersing the cold, restoring yang and unblocking the meridians, so as to enhance one's own resistance, reduce the invasion of wind and cold, and lay a good foundation for the body's speedy recovery.

3. Second week after delivery

Stay hydrated

The mother has basically recovered in the second week after giving birth. At this time, she should increase her calorie intake by 500 kcal, protein by 20 grams, consume a moderate amount of high-iron foods such as animal liver, ensure adequate supply of soup, 500 grams of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, and engage in some appropriate activities to make the body recover faster. Moreover, the large amount of water lost during childbirth and breastfeeding should be replenished at this time to reduce the occurrence of postpartum constipation and improve the symptoms of yellowing and dizziness after childbirth. Pay attention to nourishing the blood and kidneys, nourishing yin and nourishing the skin.

4. 3-4 weeks after delivery

Controlling calorie and fat intake

The daily calorie supply for breastfeeding mothers should be around 4500 kcal, while mothers who do not breastfeed require 800-1200 kcal less per day than mothers who breastfeed. Also, you should pay attention to the fat intake during eating. The fatty acids in fat are very important for the baby's brain development, especially unsaturated fatty acids, which are very important for the central nervous system. But at the same time, mothers should not consume too much fat, otherwise it will be difficult for the baby to be weaned around one year old.

Recommended daily intake

In the later stages of the confinement period, mothers have the important responsibility of breastfeeding.

(1) 350-450g of cereals, potatoes and beans (no less than 1/5 of the whole grains), and appropriate amount of water;

(2) 300-500g of vegetables (2/3 of which should be green leafy vegetables), 200-400g of fruits;

(3) Fish, poultry, eggs, meat (including animal offal) 200-300g (including 50g each of fish, poultry and eggs);

(4) 300-550g of milk and dairy products, 60g of soy beans and nuts;

(5) 25-30g oil and 6g salt. Do not eat irritating foods such as garlic, chili, pepper, fennel, leek, etc.